(continued from page 6)
One tenet of integrative medicine is that its practitioners must
walk their talk. We must be dedicated to practicing a healthy lifestyle ourselves. The food offered is always incredibly healthy and
delicious. Yoga and tai chi classes are offered early in the morning
before the day’s lectures begin. The importance of work-life balance and happy relationships is stressed. Daily meditative practice
is highly encouraged. There is very little negative talk about the
difficulties of electronic medical record implementation or worries
about dwindling reimbursements. The leaders demonstrate true love,
compassion and respect for their mentors, colleagues, students, and
patients. There is true respect for the scientific method but also a
very honest acknowledgement of the limitations of traditional western medicine to improve Americans poor health status. There is a
willingness to question the status quo, to employ novel approaches,
to address root causes, and to understand on a very deep level how
human beings become ill and how they heal. One example of this
is research on the placebo effect. While some cynics may discount
the value of the placebo effect, researchers in mind-body medicine
consider leveraging certain brain pathways to enhance pain relief
as a valid therapeutic aim. After all, in a condition as subjective and
difficult to treat as chronic pain, the end outcome of less suffering
and better functioning is all that really matters.
Integrative medicine maintains a fundamental belief in the goodness of people, in the body’s inherent capability to heal itself, in the
value of compassion to heal, in empowering people to be well without
drugs or surgeries. The research being done in integrative medicine
will shape future clinical practice for the better by providing more
options for practitioners and patients. Yes, there is much work to
be done, but the opportunity to do it is exciting and energizing. I
can’t wait for next year’s IRCIMH. LM
Note: Deborah Ballard, MD, practices primary care/integrative medicine with KentuckyOne Health.
August 2014 Harding Shymanski quarter page ad GLMS.pdf 1 6/26/2014 2:38:02 PM
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